A BRAND new £17.5 million state-of-the-art secondary school cannot be built at York's Manor School because the site is too small.

The Evening Press can exclusively reveal the school could move to a greenfield site currently earmarked for a Park&Ride site about 400 yards along Boroughbridge Road from Manor School, and on the same side of the road.

The school is on the hunt for a new home because its current three-and-a-half hectare site iat Poppleton, which caters for 640 pupils, could not hope to house 900 youngsters as part of its expansion plans.

But a plan has yet to go to the council, and would have to go out to public consultation before it could happen.

Manor head teacher Brian Crosby said the new school would provide a "fantastic opportunity" for the city's youngsters, as well as a hub for the local community, potentially providing a theatre and sports facilities.

Manor School will benefit from £13.5 million in Government funding, and the plan is that the sale of the current Manor School site will make up the remaining £4 million the school has to find.

The site is owned by City of York Council, with the land the building is on owned by the Church of England.

Mr Crosby said: "As far as I'm aware, this is the first new secondary school to be built from scratch in the city in over 40 years. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to build a school to our designs.

"It would mean we could continue to provide a high quality education in 21st century facilities.

"I really believe as well it will enhance the local facilities, and the school is interested in working in partnership with any groups that might consider its facilities for future use."

The plan is to put the entrance to the new school on Millfield Lane and, with only about 16 per cent of the land taken up by the building, the rest would be given over to playing fields.

The current Manor School site was built in 1964 to house 350 youngsters, but over the years those numbers have swelled to 640, and the school has had four

extensions to try and cope.

Mr Crosby said the school had considered the possibility of a split site, but that had not got Government backing, and it was hoped to stay as close to the current school site as possible.

Manor takes in 124 students a year, but it is over-subscribed. Last year, 196 people applied for places. After the expansion the hope is to take on 180 youngsters a year.

City of York Council is due to make an announcement on the possible new school site, and a potential site for a new A59 Park&Ride scheme, tomorrow morning.

The matter is due to be discussed at the council's next executive meeting.

Education shake-up scheme

MANOR School is one of three secondary schools involved in a shake-up of education on the west side of the city.

In October, the Evening Press revealed the Government had granted three bids for a major investment in the Manor, Oaklands and Lowfield, as part of a £22 million cash package.

A bid by the Church of England Diocese and the council on behalf of Manor School was successful and meant they will benefit from £13.5 million, while the council bid for Oaklands and Lowfield meant they would get at least £8 million.

The shake-up came about because of falling pupil rolls - as they stand there are 634 at Manor, Oaklands has 885 and Lowfield has 520.

Updated: 16:16 Thursday, January 26, 2006